Cat Project: Common Reasons For Surrendering Cats, And Solutions! Table of Contents 1. Introducing New Pets 2. Moving with your Cat 3. Spraying 4. Clawing 5. Hiding 6. Having a Baby 7. Litter Box Aversion 8. Allergies 9. Jumping on Countertops
Cat Project: Common Reasons For Surrendering Cats, And Solutions! Every day people surrender their cats for a variety of reasons. The cat might be spraying, clawing or jumping on tables. Frustrated caregivers often don t know how to address these problems, so they give away their cats. Luckily, most of these problems CAN be solved without giving up Mr. Whiskers. 1. How to Properly Introduce New Pets Introducing a new pet in the house is extremely important. Often times, a new cat doesn t get along with other household pets right away. Be patient and try encouraging them to become friends. It could take months before they accept each other as housemates, so give them time. Here are a few things that you can do to help make the transition easier. At first, keep the new cat in a separate room, like it s his or her own room. Gradually let the newcomer explore different areas of the house, so he or she is not intruding on the resident cat s territory all at once. It sometime helps to spray lavender essential oil on the door on both sides. It can be very calming for the cats & is much less expensive than Feliway. Get the cats acquainted with each other s scent. Rub a washcloth on the new cat and place it under the food dish of the resident cat, or switch their bedding. Bring the new cat to the resident pets in a carrier, so they can see and sniff each other without physical contact. When the cats seem calm with this process, try letting the new cat out of the carrier. Get the cats to associate positive feelings with one another. Feed and play with them together. When they get along, use positive reinforcement. Remember that it s a gradual process. When you are introducing a dog to the new cat, it is critical that the dog is tethered during initial introductions to ensure the cat s safety. If the dog shows an acute interest at chasing or pursuing the cat, or if the canine exhibits aggressive behavior, this must be corrected immediately. Seek the guidance of a dog trainer if necessary. It only takes one second for a dog to
seriously injure or kill a cat, so please, do not leave them alone unsupervised until you are absolutely comfortable with them not hurting each other. If the cats hiss or growl, do not try and correct this behavior as this is their way of working out the hierarchy. If the cats become aggressive towards each other, be sure to have a spray bottle handy to safely interrupt the behavior. 2. Moving with your Cat For cats and humans alike, moving to a new home is stressful. Take the time to make sure your cat is as relaxed as possible. Some helpful hints are below: When you first move in, keep your cat in a room that won t be used immediately. Allow the cat to explore the rest of the house for short periods of time. Keep food bowls in similar locations to the old house, and maintain the same schedule that the cat is used to. This will make the transition less overwhelming. 3. Spraying How can you tell if your cat is spraying? First, you have to know the difference between spraying and urinating. Spraying, which usually ends up on the walls, is a behavioral practice used
when cats mark their territory. Urinating, which usually ends up on the floor, might be completely natural, but it could also be a medical problem. Make sure to see your vet to rule out urinary tract infections. If your cat has a clean bill of health, but he still sprays, here are some solutions you can try: Spay or neuter your cat. Un-neutered male cats often start spraying when they reach sexual maturity. Have your cat neutered before he is 6 months old. It is a very effective solution. Remove the odor. If your cat typically sprays in the same spot, spray the area with a vinegar and water mix, a neutralizing odor product (Nature s Miracle is one example), or a pet repellant to discourage the cat from spraying there. Not sure where the cat has sprayed but you can smell it? Try a black light! It will illuminate the areas where urine is present. Cats spray as an instinctive reaction to the presence of other cats. If your cat sees another cat outdoors, he or she responds by marking his or her territory, which is typically your house. Restricting your cat s view of the outdoors could help the situation. Similarly, your cat might spray if cats are crowded indoors. Fostering good relationships between your cats is key. Have them eat, play and sleep together. If your cats have a healthy, non-competitive relationship, they have no need to mark their territory by spraying. Finally, your cat might simply spray out of stress. Cats like familiarity and routine, so it is best to keep a steady routine for your cat s daily life. The product Feliway, which plugs into a wall socket like an air freshener, and emits calming pheromones that may help a stressed cat to become docile. 4. Clawing For cats, scratching is a natural behavior. Not scratching is not an option! But if your cat is tearing apart your furniture or rugs, there are alternatives to help him or her to stop costing you a new couch.
Place double-sided invisible tape or aluminum foil on furniture to make it less appealing. Often times, once a cat goes to scratch and recognizes the unappealing tape or aluminum foil, they won t go back to that spot. You can also try spraying your cat with a water bottle, which is quite effective, or shake pennies in a tin can to scare the cat away, but that can only be done when the cat is caught in the act! Cats hate loud noises. Remove your cat s scent from the furniture. Use an herbal spray or pepper, or something else that completely deodorizes the upholstery; your cat will become disinterested. Provide alternatives! Cats will always scratch, so give them an acceptable place to do so. Buy a scratching post or make one yourself! Make sure that the scratching post is appealing to your cat. Cats like rough material, so posts with rope are ideal. The post must be as tall as your cat, so he or she can extend his or her body. Give your cat rewards for using the scratching post rub dried catnip on the post or any other surface where you want them to scratch, for example. The post must be sturdy, not wobbly. If the cat senses that the post is not stable, he or she won t continue to use. Trim your cat s nails to lessen the scratching damage. Gently squeeze each paw to expose claws and use vet-quality or regular fingernail clippers to carefully trim each claw. Be sure to only clip the tips, because you should not go near the pink base of the claw. There is a product called Soft Claws Nail Cap. They are adhesive caps that cover a cat s claws. They re comfortable for your cat and make life easier for you. It s a win-win! 5. Hiding If hiding is out of character for your cat, he or she could be sick. In this case, call a vet. Often, though, cats hide because they are anxious. If there is a new cat or person in the household, or that they are in a new home entirely, cats tend to hide. Here are a few tips to get them to come out of their hiding place. Try to gently coax your cat out of hiding. Call your cat s name, shake a bag of cat food, treats or catnip where the cat can see it.
Don t reach for your cat or be too aggressive. Eventually, the cat will come out to eat or to play, but only when it feels ready to do so. Cats need to have a place where they feel safe, so try and refrain from removing your cat from his/her hiding place unless it s absolutely necessary. For Mom: 6. Having a Baby To dispel the myth: yes, you can keep your cat if you re pregnant! You may have heard the about the danger of toxoplasmosis, which is rare among indoor cats. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by a parasite. This parasite infects warm-blooded animals, but the primary host is the feline. Cats are infected by eating infected meat, by ingestion of feces of a cat, or by transmission from mother to fetus. Cats are the primary source of infection to human hosts. Fecal contamination of hands is also a significant risk factor. Though, it is rare for humans to contract toxoplasmosis. Only 1 out of 10,000 live births in the U.S. To be safe, wear gloves and wash hands after cleaning a litter box. For Baby: Another common fear is that cats will suck the breath out of babies. This is an old wives tale, and unfortunately people still believe it. Cats like to nestle in warm places and sleeping near a baby is the perfect nesting spot. This can be easily avoided by keeping your cat outside of the baby s room. Alternatively, you can place a net over the crib or put a screen door to the nursery, so the cat can see the baby but not touch. A good idea is to keep your litter box and cat food bowls in places the baby can t reach, especially when the infant starts crawling.
For Cat: Cats are creatures of habit, so a new baby in the household might be a traumatic experience. Make sure to introduce the changes gradually, so the cat has a chance to get used to the new family member. Often times, behavioral problems in the cat are due to his or her caregivers not taking the time to properly introduce the changes to the animal. Before the birth, get the cat acquainted with the smells and sounds of a baby. Wear the powders and lotions you will be using with the baby. You can even play a recording of a crying baby, or invite a friend with a new baby over for a visit so the cat can adjust to the noise. Here are a few other things that can be done: Let your cat walk around the nursery and see the crib. It will lift the cat s unease about a new face in the house. Make sure to stick with your cat s routine regular feedings, and to make sure to pay attention to the cat so that he or she does not feel neglected. Be sure to offer plenty of cat toys to keep him or her occupied. 7. Litter Box Aversion If your cat is avoiding the litter box, there are many possible reasons. Luckily, there are also many solutions to this little problem. Remember, do not punish your cat it doesn t work, and the only thing you will do is to scare the cat. Is the litter box too small? The roomier the box, the more inviting it is for a cat to use it. Consider offering different options for your cat, with various sizes. As an important side note, cats hate sharing; have one litter box per cat. Keep the litter box clean! Cats are clean creatures, and they won t want to use a dirty litter box. Scoop twice daily using unscented litter; avoid deodorizers. Cats hate change. If you have recently moved, allow time for your feline friends to adjust. If you are moving the litter box, do so gradually, so they do not get confused as to where to make their waste.
Is the box in a quiet, private location? Guest bathrooms and closets are good places for a litter box. If you keep yours in the laundry room, make sure it s far enough away from the machines so that the noise will not disturb the cat. Be sure to rule out medical problems. Inappropriate excretions might be a sign of Feline Lower UTD, which causes painful urination that cats associate with the litter box. Never, ever rub a cat s nose in their pee or feces. They have no idea why they are being punished for performing a natural body function, and they never will, and it teaches them nothing, except that you are a big bully with nasty manners. 8. Allergies It is possible to keep a cat even if you are allergic to pet dander; it just takes some extra effort. Keep the cat out of your bedroom. Limiting your exposure to the cat is the only way to limit your allergic reactions. If necessary, restrict your cat to only one area of the house. Have other people clean the litter box and brush the cat. Wash your hands after petting the cat, and do not rub your eyes. Keep your house clean of cat dander. Clear the air by opening your windows. Alternatively, use a HEPA (high efficiency particulate arresting) air filter or a vapor steam cleaner. Allergen-proof vacuum cleaner bag or a HEPA vacuum could work as alternatives to fresh air. Thoroughly clean the carpets, walls, and other surfaces in your house also help out quite a bit.
Use cat wipes on the cat to remove excess dander and fur from yourself and your furniture. An over-the-counter allergy medication may be a life saver. There are many effective medications that will allow you to continue to cohabitate, free from the sniffles, with your cat. 9. Jumping on Countertops The counter-surfing cat is naturally attracted to high places. To deter the cat from jumping up unwanted onto the counters, there are a variety of options you can try. Tape a strip of aluminum foil or sticky tape to the countertops. The cat won t like the feeling, which means that he or she may not jump up again anytime soon. Leaving poorly balanced utensils or cans (anything that will make a loud noise) near the edge of the counter, the cat will knock it off. Cats hate loud and sudden noises, so that s an easy way to teach them to stay away, while letting them teach themselves how with little interference from yourself. Use a spray bottle to spray a little water on your cat when they are caught, red-handed, on the counter. Invest in a cat tree or a climbing tower! This will satisfy the cat s need to be high in the air. Clearing your counters of mail, keys, and other various things that your cat might like to play with will be a big help in keeping them away from the counters.
How to Correct what we Perceive as Bad Behavior: Don t ever strike a cat, or any animal for that matter! Yelling at the cat or being aggressive will only make the cat distrust you and ruin the bond that they have made with you. Cats are unique because of the fact that they do not respond as well to correcting. If your cat is doing something undesirable, such as biting or scratching, try blowing in their face. It s a fast, effective way to let your feline friend know that you disapprove of undesirable behavior, and it very well could lead to it being stopped. Scruffing is another way to discourage undesirable behavior in cats, because it is one of the ways mother cats discipline their kittens. Properly learning how to scruff your cat is a great way to train him effectively. To scruff a cat, grab the loose skin on the top of the neck. Don t pinch or be rough. Press the cat to the ground, saying no, until the cat s muscles relax. However, scruffing should be reserved for especially egregious behavior such as physical aggression toward humans, as well as aggression towards other cats. Disclaimer: The contents of the Green Mountain Animal Defenders (GMAD) Site, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the GMAD Site are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian with any questions regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the GMAD Site! Reliance on any information provided by GMAD, GMAD members, others appearing on the Site, or other visitors to the Site is solely at your own risk.